News and Events

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) The topic of bullying is one that has dominated national conversation for years. An effort that started in West Michigan to combat bullying is the “Be Nice” campaign.

Christy Buck and her team from the Mental Health Foundation just returned from a school district in Ohio. They were invited by the school after an incident that grabbed national headlines. Ten-year-old Jetta Fosberg was bullied after she cut 14 inches off her hair to donate to Wigs for Kids, in honor of her grandparents. The bullying got so bad, she had to be pulled out of school. Eventually, the school reached out to the Be Nice team to bring the program to its students.

Buck says evidence shows the Be Nice program is working to change the culture in schools and prevent bullying. To learn more, visit the Be Nice website.

The Be Nice team will be at the Kids and Family Expo at DeVos Place on Saturday, January 24 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. There will be activities, a zip line, music, food, education, and crafts. Admission is $7 for adults and $3 for kids ages 3-15.

“You may not see the sun, but it has not failed to shine. It is just being covered. You may not see a hope for something better, but there is.”
“You are more than your worries.”
“Keep your heads held high and your attitudes higher.”
These are just a few recent encouraging tweets from @zeelandbenice, a group at Zeeland High School on a mission to spread love and support for their peers.